Comments on our progress since the last accreditation

Preliminary Notes

Recommendation 1: That the Steering Committee, school administration, staff, students, and community members collaboratively develop and systematically review the mission statement, schoolwide goals and objectives, to promote shared school decision making and cooperation among departments and the community.

Comments:
1. We have addressed this and I think it turned out very good.

2. With the new administration there has been a substantial increase in communication among departments and between the adult school and the community. For example, the management team representing coordinators of programs and school administrators meets weekly to update colleagues and to seek input regarding their respective departments. The community advisory committee, which meets once per semester, provides input on local educational and training needs. Interested faculty and staff worked together to develop the adult school mission statement. Our mission is published in the brochure that is distributed to 90,000 households in our service area. Teachers have become increasingly aware of courses offered outside of their own program and now regularly refer appropriate students to other program areas.

3. With the Older Adult and Adults With Disabilities Programs. The majority of these classes are held off campus, in community settings. Many of the instructors only come to the main campus once a month. Communications with the instructors is critical for a number of reasons. In addition to the periodic school newsletter and other school wide memos, I regularly send a letter to the teachers in these two programs advising them of school and program items. In addition, I have collected the email addresses of my teachers and for those on line, may supplement written communications with emails. Regular communications with key people at the community centers and other community organizations provides information about community needs and interests and is used in the development of new classes, or for the revision of ongoing classes. Some of these organizations have community advisory boards specifically focused on education and programming for their community. On occasion I have attended these meetings, and at other times, I discuss the items identified by the group with the staff of that center. I also maintain ongoing communications with Program Development, Senior Program Supervisor or Site Director to keep them appraised of the doings at the Adult School. Most of these are verbal - either by phone or periodic meetings. These communications are a two-way street and they keep us informed about issues or doings in their community.

4. Staff more openly shares information increasing everyone's knowledgeable of the mechanics of the adult school and thus, be better able to do their jobs.

Recommendation 2: That the administrative staff develop and utilize a budgeting system which establishes priorities, allows staff input, and provides a defined process for the allocation of funds.

Comments:
1. A budget is needed to allow staff to show the community the schools allocation of funds. This could be a part of the annual report/flyer. Due to the rapid changing economic climate an annual budget is extreme.
Monthly budgeting is now necessary.

2. This information is shared with faculty and staff so that the most important needs are correctly identified and addressed. A new district chief financial officer has responded positively to a more open sharing of financial information. As a result, on a monthly basis adult school administrators share department budgets with program coordinators. These budget reports include expenditures, encumbrances, and balances of accounts, making prioritizing and purchasing decisions much easier.

3. Adult school management has taken the budget in hand and meets with program coordinators to develop feasible budget expectations. Improved recording keeping has been established. Concerns are expressed at weekly administrative meetings.

4. Whereas the great bulk of our funding is allocated to mandatory expenses such as salaries and benefits, plant maintenance, loan repayments and indirect costs, the remaining funds are allocated with input from staff and program co-coordinators. The process for establishing and maintaining each year's budget allocations is as follows. Each program's previous years expenditures are used as a base starting point for determining that program's allocation. To that, any deficit or increase percentages are applied equally. Program budget transaction reports are issued each month to the program coordinators at which time they are encouraged to meet with the Assistant Director to discuss any questions or needs regarding their budgets. Throughout the year, budgetary concerns are brought to the weekly staff meeting for discussion. We continue to seek and be rewarded with state and federal grants that help to extend and enrich our curriculum. We have shared information about the current state budget problems and the impact that is having on the school's revenues with our staff and student body. Our dedicated staff and appreciative student body have responded by generating numerous ideas for fund raising. To date, four such ideas have come to fruition in the form of cookie and posters sales, a collaborative cookbook for sale and a flea market day.

Recommendation 3: That the school administration, program coordinators, faculty, and guidance/advisement staff collaboratively institute formalized career advisement and planning so students will be better informed and have greater access to training opportunities and school-to-career connections.

Comments:
1. Your outreach to the communities/businesses is working well but could always be enhanced. If the community could be better informed there would be greater access. (Getting the word out/communicating with others/outreach).

2. We have established a strong working relationship with the local one-stop employment center. One staff member of the center is assigned to work one day a week at the adult school to provide job assistance to students and community members. We have also purchased career exploration software for the ABE/GED/High School diploma, English as a Second Language, and vocational education students. A representative of Department of Human Services offers career exploration and transition courses through our adult school each semester.

3. Job listings binder is at the entrance to the adult school for students and community to use. The binder contains job listings from the County of San Mateo, City of San Mateo, San Mateo Union High School District, the U S Post Office, banking institutions, hotels, and other companies.

Recommendation 4: That the school administration and staff implement formal, systematic assessment and record keeping of student achievement and outcomes in all departments to provide a solid basis for evaluation of curricular design, instruction, and advisement/guidance services.

Comments:
1. I don't know whether you are addressing this. If Federal grants could be recognized an evaluation system needs to be in place.

2. Every student enrolling in the ABE/GED/High School diploma program must first meet with an academic adviser to assess basic skills for appropriate placement, discuss short- and long-term goals, and analyze academic records to date. Upon completion of the GED and High School Diploma program students are given the opportunity to evaluate their educational experience and to discuss the next step toward achieving their long-range goal through the exit interview. The feedback from graduating students helps the program coordinator to make changes, for example, in curriculum and physical environment.

Recommendation 5: That administration, certificated and classified staff work toward developing and implementing a coordinated staff development plan which will ensure that students are supported by a staff that understands and uses current instructional strategies and technology as well as the new attendance software.

Comments:
1. A staff development plan would be only work if staff will comply to and understand the plan. I think that this is a good idea and believe that the community would expect it, as the students would be the benefactors.

2. Teachers are encouraged to attend professional development workshops. In addition, interested teachers participate in in-house staff and curriculum workshops. All courses are designed with the active involvement of faculty.

3. Within budget limitations, we encourage professional development. We participate in the South Bay Older Adult Education Network. Annually, the Network holds a workshop for all of the instructors involved with each program. A number of the teachers attend (Older Adult and Adult With Disability Programs) and all have been enthusiastic about the program.

4. Staff is encouraged to increase their knowledge of the adult school and improve skills through ASAP user meetings, cash register training, AccuTerm training, credential workshops, use of the electronic office, classified meetings with management, fiscal meetings, annual in-service meetings, brochure meetings, TopsPro workshops, and meetings with family services agency.

Recommendation 6: That the district and adult school administration and staff collaboratively develop and implement a long-range facility plan which will address the needs of the community and students.

Comments:
1. Long-range goals/plans are needed in any organization. This should include a budget for student and facilities increases. The community is ultimately interested in how public monies are best exhausted. These goals also could better show how we are addressing the needs of the community.

2. Our long-range facility planning was rewarded with the construction of modular units last year on the main campus of the adult school. The current fiscal crisis has caused students, staff and faculty to work together creatively to deal with anticipated cutbacks in staffing and purchases. Collaborative work to reduce our budget crisis has resulted in the planning of a school-wide cookbook and a school-wide "flea market day." The enthusiasm and support for these ideas is testimony to the appreciation we all share for the adult school.

3. The opening of the east wing portables added much needed space for classrooms and meetings. Staff is looking forward to additional parking

4. Since the last WASC, we have achieved the realization of a one million dollar facility encompassing 20 classrooms, a student lounge and bathrooms, a teacher workroom/lounge and two coordinator offices. We are currently working towards a solution to the inadequate parking problem. We continue to seek out new classroom spaces within the community to house more fee-based courses to boost our revenue generating capabilities.